Middle ear prosthesis

ABSTRACT

A MIDDLE EAR PROSTHESIS TO RESTORE HEARING BY MECHANICALLY CONNECTING THE HAMMER TO THE STIRRUP-BONE PLATE OR THE INTERNAL EAR WHEN DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED TO THE INTERCONNECTING BONE STRUCTURE IN THE MIDDLE EAR. THE PROSTHESIS HAS TWO ARMS INTERCONNECTED TO FORM AN ANGLE OF SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN 90* BETWEEN THEIR AXES WITH AN ARM HAVING A FREE END PORTION PROVIDED WITH A SELF TAPPING SCREW FOR ATTACHMENT TO THE HAMMER WHILE THE FREE END OF THE OTHER ARM IS IN CONTACT WITH THE STIRRUP PLATE OR INTERNAL EAR.

Ma ch 2, 1971 -J. F. E. MARQUET 3,566,413

MIDDLE EAR PROSTHESIS Filed April 11. 1969 INA/Em up r-s. nnmurr HTTDRNEyS I United States Patent 3,566,413 MIDDLE EAR PROSTHESIS Jean F. E. Marquet, 239 Lange Leemstraat, Antwerp, Belgium Filed Apr. 11, 1969, Ser. No. 815,392 Claims priority, applicationgielgium, Apr. 12, 1968, 7 6

Int. Cl. Am 1/24 US. Cl. 3-1 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Among the ossicles comprised of the hammer, the anvil and the stirrup-bone, which connect the ear-drum to the internal ear, a destruction due to an illness occurs most frequently by the hammer and the stirrup-bone legs. The prosthesis according to the invention enables in such cases, to connect mechanically the hammer to the stirrupbone plate or directly to the internal ear.

For this purpose, the prosthesis according to the invention is comprised of two arms each with a length of some 5 mm. and which enclose between them an angle which is slightly larger than 90, and of a screw which lies in the plane of the arm axes.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the one arm is provided at the end thereof opposite to the other arm, with a fiat portion through which passes said screw.

In a particular embodiment, said other arm has a thickness which is reduced towards that end opposite to the arm through which passes said screw.

In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the screwbearing arm, adjacent said fiat portion, is about equal to the screw length.

In a particular embodiment, said screw is a self-tapping screw.

Other details and features of the invention will stand out from the description given below, by way of non limitative example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a prosthesis according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the prosthesis shown in FIG. 1.

In both figures, the same reference numerals pertain to similar elements.

The prosthesis shown in the figures comprises on the one hand, a plastic material body and, on the other hand, a metal screw. The plastic material should not be attacked by the human organism liquids. The material known under the trade name Teflon is particularly well suited. The metal the screw is made of should also not deteriorate. The metal known under the trade name Vitallium is also particularly well suited.

The body is comprised of two arms 1 and 2 the geometrical axes of which are designated by 3 and 4. Each one of the arms 1 and 2 has a length ranging about 5 mm. The angle a enclosed between the axes 3 and 4 is slightly larger than and it lies for example in the range of to That end of the arm 2 opposite to the arm 1 is pierced by a screw 5. Said screw is a self-tapping screw. It lies in .1 plane which is determined by the axes 3 and 4 of the arms 1 and 2.

The screw 5 is retained by a fiat portion 6 which comprises the end of the arm 2. Next to said flat portion 6, the arm 2 has a thickness ranging about the screw length, which is approximately 3 mm. The height of the flat portion 6 is about 0.4 mm.

The thickness of the arm 1 is reduced towards that end 7 opposite the arm 2. At the end 7, the thickness of the arm 1 is about 0.6 mm.

The screw 5 is used for attaching the end of the arm 2 to the hammer while the end 7 of the arm 1 is to bear on the stirrup-bone, preferably on the plate thereof, or it contacts directly the internal ear liquids.

It must be understood that the invention is in no way limited to the above-described embodiment and that many changes may be brought therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Thus, for example, the plastic material body may be replaced by a body of some other material, for instance a Vitallium body.

I claim:

1. A middle ear prosthesis made of a material suitable for implanting in the human body, which is comprised of two connected arms having their axes lying in a common plane, each arm having a length of some 5 mm. which encloses between them an angle which is slightly larger than 90, and a screw attached to the free end of one arm which lies in said plane of the arm axes.

2. Prosthesis as claimed in claim 1, in which the one arm is provided at said free end with a flat portion through which said screw passes.

3. Prosthesis as claimed in claim 2, in which the other arm has a reduced thickness towards that end which is opposite to the arm through which said screw passes.

4. Prosthesis as claimed in claim 2, in which the thickness of the screw-bearing arm, adjacent said flat portion is about equal to the screw length.

5. Prosthesis as claimed in claim 1, in which said screw is a self-tapping screw.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,874,691 2/ 1959 Mason 128-92 3,196,462 7/ 1965 Robinson 3-1 3,488,779 l/ 1970 Christensen 31 FOREIGN PATENTS 117,318 3/1969 Norway 31 OTHER REFERENCES Prosthetics in Tympanoplasty, by W. Harrison, Archives of Otolaryngology, vol. 71, March 1960, pp. 437- 442.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner R. L. FRINKS, Assistant Examiner 

